round.] Oh! no one. No one in particular. A man of no importance.
Curtain.
An Ideal
Husband.
by
The Author of Lady Windermere’s Fan
London: Leonard Smithers and Co
5 Old Bond Street W, 1899
[The text follows the
first edition.]
contents.
·[v]· to
frank harris
a slight tribute to
his power and distinction
as an artist
his chivalry and nobility
as a friend
·[vii]· the persons of the play
the earl of caversham, K.G.
viscount goring, his Son
sir robert chiltern, Bart., Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs
vicomte de nanjac, Attaché at the French Embassy in London
mr. montford
mason, Butler to Sir Robert Chiltern
phipps, Lord Goring’s Servant
james,
harold, Footmen
lady chiltern
lady markby
the countess of basildon
mrs. marchmont
miss mabel chiltern, Sir Robert Chiltern’s Sister
mrs. cheveley
·[ix]· the scenes of the play
Act I: The Octagon Room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House in Grosvenor Square.
Act II: Morning-room in Sir Robert Chiltern’s House.
Act III: The Library of Lord Goring’s House in Curzon Street.
Act IV: Same as Act II.
Time …. The Present.
Place …. London.
The Action of the Play is completed within twenty-four hours.
·[xi]· THEATRE ROYAL, HAYMARKET
Sole Lessee: Mr. Herbert Beerbohm Tree Managers: Mr. Lewis Waller and Mr. H. H. Morell January 3rd, 1895
| The Earl of Caversham | Mr. Alfred Bishop |
| Viscount Goring | Mr. Charles H. Hawtrey |
| Sir Robert Chiltern | Mr. Lewis Waller |
| Vicomte de Nanjac | Mr. Cosmo Stuart |
| Mr. Montford | Mr. Harry Stanford |
| Phipps | Mr. C. H. Brookfield |
| Mason | Mr. H. Deane |
| James (Footman) | Mr. Charles Meyrick |
| Harold (Footman) | Mr. Goodhart |
| Lady Chiltern | Miss Julia Neilson |
| Lady Markby | Miss Fanny Brough |
| Countess of Basildon | Miss Vane Featherston |
| Mrs. Marchmont | Miss Helen Forsyth |
| Miss Mabel Chiltern | Miss Maude Millett |
| Mrs. Cheveley | Miss Florence West |
·[xv]· First Act.
·1· SCENE—The octagon room at Sir Robert Chiltern’s house in Grosvenor Square.
[The room is brilliantly lighted and full of guests. At the top of the staircase stands Lady Chiltern, a woman of grave Greek beauty, about twenty-seven years of age. She receives the guests as they come up. Over the well of the staircase hangs a great chandelier with wax lights, which illumine a large eighteenth-century French tapestry—representing the Triumph of Love, from a design by Boucher—that is stretched on the staircase wall. On the right is the entrance to the music-room. The sound of a string quartette is faintly heard. The entrance on the left leads to other reception-rooms. Mrs. Marchmont and Lady Basildon, two very pretty women, are seated together on a Louis Seize sofa. They are types of exquisite fragility. Their affectation of manner has a delicate charm.
